[Grades 1-2] Tremendous Books About Turtles and Tortoises

Handpicked by Amazon kids’ books editor, Seira Wilson, for Prime Book Box – a children’s subscription that inspires a love of reading.An NPR Favorite Book of 2019 A New York Times Best Children’s book of 2019 A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019 A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019 "An enchanting tale of bravery, heroism, and undying devotion." —The New York Times Book Review After his best friend Sarah leaves for her first day of school, a tortoise named Truman goes on an adventure across the living room and learns to be brave in this thoughtful and heartwarming twist on a first experience story.Truman the tortoise lives with his Sarah, high above the taxis and the trash trucks and the number eleven bus, which travels south. He never worries about the world below…until one day, when Sarah straps on a big backpack and does something Truman has never seen before. She boards the bus! Truman waits for her to return. He waits. And waits. And waits. And when he can wait no longer, he knows what he must do. Even if it seems…impossible!

From the award-winning creator of I'M THE BIGGEST THING IN THE OCEAN comes an inspiring tale of friendship and belonging that's perfect for fans of THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE, OWEN AND MZEE, and Oliver Jeffers's LOST AND FOUND.Turtle is big. But the ocean is bigger. And Turtle is all alone. Until four shipwrecked folks--a bear, an owl, a frog, and a cat--climb to safety on his shell. Before long, they're fast friends, and the sea doesn't seem so vast anymore. But when Frog confides that he misses his family, Turtle doesn't understand. Isn't he their family? And when the group decides to sail for home, will Turtle be left behind? Never fear--a surprise on the horizon promises friends, family, and a home at last. Uplifting and heartfelt, this is a book about the power of friendship and making a home of one's own.

A fascinating look at the dangers sea turtles face and the role that humans have in helping with wildlife and ocean conservation. In this re-illustrated edition of the previously published text, author April Pulley Sayre introduces readers to the life of a sea turtle. From the tiny hatchlings being born on the shores of Florida to the turtles making their way through the sea to their journey back to lay eggs of their own years later, the reader sees the dangers that turtles must face and how humans can help. Backmatter includes Information on sea turtle conservation efforts and the seven species of sea turtles. A great introduction to ocean life cycles as well as a perfect resource for building awareness about environmental and nature conservation in and outside of the classroom.

OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD--Double-gold medalist begins simply in baby sea turtle's voice:"I'm coming Mama, I'll see you soon, I know just how, I'll follow the moon." Celebrating the love between mother and child comes an achingly beautiful story that has captured hearts around the world. Written by a new mom, by accident, when she sang a little song to her fussing newborn, I'll follow the moon donates to charity: every book saves a turtle. [G]orgeous watercolors chronicle the journey of a baby sea turtle from its hatching to its first swim in the sea." --Kirkus Reviews"[C]aptivates children with poetry..." --New York Times "[A] tiny one-inch hatchling teaches the world about courage...utterly magnificent..." --San Francisco Chronicle"[B]aby turtle wins hearts everywhere, expect your kids to hug you tight afterthe first read...expect to be asked to read again and again and again..." --USA Today"[I]'m coming Mama, I'll see you soon, I know just how, I'll follow the moon...we can't get baby turtle's song out of our heads....achingly sweet little bedtime book for wee ones." --Huffington Post"[N]o surprise at all that this book has a worldwide toddler-cult following...baby turtle serenades us all so sweetly with his song of home. Proceeds to turtle charities too!" --National Geographic"[H]ats off to this turtle hatchling who has garnered millions of fans across the planet...a tiny activist who is saving his own kind...bravo." --World Wildlife Fund"[S]tephanie Lisa Tara and Canadian illustrator Lee Edward Fodi have teamed up to create a lyrical rendition of a green sea turtle's first glimpse of life. Hatched on a moon-washed beach, the baby turtle finds its way by instinct across the expanse of sand to the sea and a rendezvous with its mother. Written in simple verse in the first person, the rhythmic text is full of action and sensory detail and loaded with alliteration and onomatopoeia for an enjoyable read-aloud. The refrain, "I'm coming, Mama.....," repeated on each double page spread, is soothing and reassuring of the joyful reunion to come. The atmosphere of a quiet but determined struggle to break free of the egg soon gives way to growing excitement as the turtle mingles with fellow hatchlings and catches his first tempting sensations: the smell of salt air, the sight of the moon's glow, the gentle touch and beckoning sounds of the waves rushing to shore. Once he's free of the land, new motions take over: gulp, spin, float, swim...The final happy refrain is new and satisfying: "I'm here, Mama - here with you. I know I'd find you, Moon did too. "[F]ramed by endpapers of soft, limitless, under seagreen, Fodi's delightful illustrations feature an animated and engaging baby emerging from an egg buried in golden sand. With other tiny turtles, he is shown plowing through the damp sand, sampling the salty sea air and marching unerringly toward the moonlight glimmer, his guide to the ocean. Once afloat, he soon comes face to face with "eyes like mine" in his new watery home. The gold of sand, blue of sky and green of the sea repeated throughout the book bring a sense of harmony. The turtle is the focal point of all the pictures. The illustrator has carefully integrated the turtle's actions with Tara's verse which relies heavily on verbs: roll, slide, tumble......crawl, scoop, shove. Young children will be propelled through the story in the illustrations as well as the text." *Highly Recommended. Gillian Richardson, who lives in BC, is a former teacher-librarian and freelance writer. --Canadian Materials Magazine, Gillian Richardson"[I]n this tranquil bedtime story, a baby sea turtle hatches on the beach and wants to find his mother. And he knows just how -- he'll follow the moon! From his gentle struggles to break free of his egg to his determination to dig his way out of the sand nest, we follow the baby sea turtle on each step of his instinctive journey home." Very highly recommended. --Books of Wonder

Who will help Mossy return home to Lilypad Pond? Mossy, an amazing turtle with a gorgeous garden growing on her shell, loses her freedom when Dr. Carolina, a biologist, takes her to live in her Edwardian museum. Visitors flock to see Mossy, but it is Dr. Carolina's niece, Tory, who notices how sad Mossy is living in a viewing pavilion. She misses the outdoors and her friend, Scoot. Dr. Carolina finds a way to keep the spirit of Mossy alive at the museum. She invites Flora and Fauna to paint Mossy's portrait. Then she and Tory take Mossy home, where Scoot is waiting for her. Jan Brett fans will pore over the colorful paintings of Lilypad Pond and lush borders displaying wildflowers, ferns, butterflies and birds in contrast to elegant spreads of the museum filled with visitors in stylish Edwardian dress and exquisite borders of shells, rocks, crystals and birds' eggs.MOSSY gives readers a fascinating look at nature in the wild and on display in a natural history museum.

Every year Tortoise sleeps through winter. He assumes he isn’t missing much. However, his friends are determined to prove otherwise! Will Tortoise sleep through another winter, or will his friends convince him to stay awake and experience the frosty fun of winter? Best-selling author Katy Hudson's charming picture book, now in a board book format, will convince even the biggest winter grouche that winter can be magical if you have friends by your side.

In Turtles, early readers will learn how to care for a pet turtle and find out what it needs in its tank. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they discover what it takes to be a pet owner. A labeled diagram helps readers understand what a turtle needs, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about pet turtles online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Turtles also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index. Turtles is part of Jump!’s My First Pet series.

Who could resist celebrating sea turtles? They may seem like lazy ocean reptiles drifting with the oceans’ currents, but they are actually long-distance swimmers that spend their entire lives searching for food and a mate. What’s more, they come with their own built-in GPS, returning to the exact beach where they were born to lay their own eggs. Kids will learn all about these tranquil and mysterious animals through brilliant photography and illustrations, plus the trusted and distinctive content you love from NG Kids!

Franklin has always lived in the same house in the same town, and he's grown up with the same friends. Then new neighbors move in -- the Moose family! At school, Mr. Owl asks Franklin to be Moose's buddy. Initially, Franklin is afraid of Moose because of his size but he soon realizes that despite their differences, he has made a new friend in this Franklin Classic Storybook.

In this Franklin Classic Storybook, our young hero likes everything about Thanksgiving, from eating pumpkin-fly pie to making cornucopias. But what he likes best is having his Grandma and Grandpa share the holiday with him and his family. This year, however, his grandparents are traveling abroad. Thanksgiving just won't be the same without guests around the table, so Franklin decides to invite some friends for dinner. What a nice surprise it will be for his parents. Only Franklin's mother and father have the same idea, and on Thanksgiving Day all their friends show up for the festivities! With no more room in the house, where will the holiday meal take place?

New York Times bestselling author-artist James Dean brings us a new Pete the Cat adventure, a special reimagining of “The Tortoise and the Hare” as a race between Pete and Turtle, in Pete the Cat: Go, Pete, Go! Ding, ding. There’s nothing Pete the Cat loves to do more on a sunny day than ring his little bell and pedal fast on his bicycle. But on this sunny day, Turtle wants to race someone in his new car. Vroom, vroom! Pete and his bicycle are up for the challenge!And when Pete crosses the finish line, he proves it’s not where you’re going that matters, it’s how groovy of a time you have getting there! Includes over 30 fun stickers!

Could there be any better pet than a puppy? One young girl is about to find out. From beloved author Dave Keane and acclaimed illustrator K.G. Campbell, a laugh-out-loud story of unexpected friendship! When the spunky, loveable narrator receives a tortoise for her birthday, instead of the cuddly puppy she's longed for her entire life, she's more than a little disappointed. But while her new lump of a pet isn't what she dreamed of, it doesn't take long--between tortoise-on-skateboard walks, sparkly shell makeovers, and a lemonade stand selling chances to hold a real life tortoise--for the little girl to change her mind--sort of. But when her pet goes missing, all she wants is to be reunited with her new best friend.

Hold on to your hats for the conclusion of the celebrated hat trilogy by Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen, who gives his deadpan finale a surprising twist.Two turtles have found a hat. The hat looks good on both of them. But there are two turtles. And there is only one hat. . . . Evoking hilarity and sympathy, the shifting eyes tell the tale in this brilliantly paced story in three parts, highlighting Jon Klassen’s visual comedy and deceptive simplicity. The delicious buildup takes an unexpected turn that is sure to please loyal fans and newcomers alike.

In Turtle's shell there's room for only one. But in Turtle's heart, there is room for everyone! This tale of a lonely turtle who comes out of his shell to find friendship and community celebrates diversity and inclusion. When a solitary turtle decides to make some renovations to his shell, he doesn’t have a blueprint, only a dream for a better life. He starts by building a deck—though he figures the deck could use a fireplace. And a fireplace needs wood, so naturally, he plants a garden. But it isn’t really a garden without a pond . . . Soon, Turtle can barely recognize his own shadow. Finally satisfied with the intricate world upon his back, word begins to spread of the magical “Town of Turtle,” attracting newcomers from far and wide. All are welcome in Turtle’s town, where life is a little less lonely, if only you come out of your shell.

The Tortoise and the Hare with a southwestern flair. Tortoise, living comfortably in her home on Slow Lane, awakens one morning feeling good and challenges cocky Jackrabbit to a race. Patiently bumping her way through the desert landscape, Tortoise heads for the finish line as Jackrabbit cheerfully skips―and sleeps. Roadrunner, Tarantula, Gila Monster and even a Javelina or three cheer them on. Irresistible fun for the young and old alike.

A 2018 Reader Views Choice Award Feathered Quill "Be Kind to Animals" Prize A 2018 Distinguished Favorite Independent Press AwardThomas the Turtle lives with his mother and sister on Placid Pond. Many years ago his father disappeared when he entered one part of the pond, which is called the "forbidden region." Thomas the Turtle has been told by his mother not to go to this region, but one day Thomas ventures too close and is swept over a waterfall and downstream. He struggles battling the forces of nature to survive the frightening experience. Far from home, he is determined to reunite with this family, and finally with the help of two children he succeeds. The Adventure of Thomas the Turtle stresses family values, filial obedience, adversity, curiosity, faith and determination. Parents will enjoy reading this touching story to their 5-to-9-year-old children for its exciting adventure and strong moral messages.

Suitable for children in Year 1 (age 5), The Clever Tortoise is from the Cambridge Reading genre strand Stories from a Range of Cultures. Children should be familiar with some of the stories in this set of nine books. The stories draw on myths, legends, folk tales and fairy stories, including Aesop's Fables, and originate from various countries including Nigeria, and South America. The Clever Tortoise is one of six stories that have been written and illustrated by Gerald Rose. They are retold in contemporary language and illustrated with simplified characters and bold colours that will appeal to young children. Cambridge Reading at Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) offers fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays to introduce children to a variety of text types, authors and illustrators and provide a firm base for wider reading.